My 10 Favourite Photos from Iceland

In Europe, Iceland by JurgaLAST UPDATED: January 15, 2020This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. More info: Disclosure.

I visited Iceland in November, at the same time when I started this blog, and therefore it took me quite some time to go through the pictures of the trip. I have posted many pictures in my previous posts about Iceland, but today I wanted to share the ones I like the most. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, let me share some of my favourite photos from Iceland and let them tell a story of this incredible place.

So here they are – my Iceland favourite photos

Vik black sand beach

Vik beach

Black sand, rocky coast, strong winds and high tides are probably not the first things that come to mind when you think about the most beautiful beaches… When we think about a beach, we immediately see an image of white sand, palm trees, blue sea and eternal sunshine. Vik beach in Iceland proves that it doesn’t always have to be that way. This black sand beach is considered to be one of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth. And it’s easy to see why!

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon

Me at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon

I probably took a couple of hundred of pictures at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. It’s just such a special place! What makes it even more special is the fact that it’s constantly changing and no two visits to Jökulsárlón will ever be the same. We were extremely lucky with the weather when we visited in November. Even our Icelandic guide who goes to the area on a regular basis was very impressed. Why this picture? When I look at it, I feel like I’m actually back there again.

Oxararfoss waterfall in Thingvellir National Park

Oxararfoss waterfall in Thingvellir National Park

There is just something about the waterfalls that makes them so captivating. I just love this picture of Oxararfoss waterfall in Thingvellir National Park on a cold winter day.

Northern Lights in Iceland

We could not have wished for a more spectacular aurora display

Aurora Borealis was one of the main reasons I travelled to Iceland in winter. It’s been my long-time dream to see the Northern Lights and I can tell you now that it was absolutely worth it! We spent many hours outside every night during our stay in Iceland and we saw Northern Lights practically every night. But most of the time they were so vague that you could only tell it was an aurora by looking at the pictures (even a very vague aurora colours green in photos). We didn’t give up! We followed aurora forecast on almost hourly basis every evening and one night we were rewarded with the most spectacular Aurora display you can imagine. The whole sky lit up in green, pink, and purple colours and auroras were moving in all directions – we saw straight vertical lines, swirls, bows, and amazing star-shaped aurora’s like this one. No picture can do justice to how marvellous and grand this spectacle of nature is.

Skaftafell Glacier

Skaftafell glacier at sunset

This picture was taken during the hike in Skaftafell National Park. We first hiked to a beautiful Svartifoss waterfall and then continued our walk through the lovely landscape. It was very enjoyable, but not really spectacular. Till all of a sudden, completely unexpected, we found ourselves at this breathtaking viewpoint overlooking the Skaftafell glacier. Thanks to a fellow hiker you can better appreciate how truly majestic the landscape around Skaftafell glacier is. Without a doubt, one of the most spectacular places in Iceland.

Skogafoss Waterfall

Skogafoss waterfall

As I said, one can never have enough pictures of waterfalls. Another one of my favourites – Skogafoss waterfall in Southern Iceland.

Jökulsárlón Beach

Fairytale landscape of Jökulsárlón beach

After all the years of traveling and so many unbelievable places we have seen, I’m every time amazed at how incredibly beautiful our world is. The very best moment of any trip is when you see something so special that you just cannot believe that a place like that exists. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself to realise that it’s not a dream. I had this feeling when we visited Jökulsárlón beach, just across the road from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. We had been here years ago and it was nowhere this spectacular as on this cold winter evening in November. I chose this picture as it not only shows how amazing and majestic nature is, but also – once again – how small we are in comparison.

Iceland is about ice

Jökulsárlón beach – I have never seen anything like it before

You probably heard the popular saying that Iceland in not all ice and Greenland isn’t green at all. I don’t know about Greenland, but at least in winter Iceland is all about the ice. I love love LOVE this place!

Gullfoss Golden Waterfall

Gullfoss golden waterfall

We visited the Golden Circle and Gullfoss waterfall on our very first day in Iceland. I cannot even try to describe how cold and windy it was that day. It was a real challenge to take a picture of the waterfall. The wind was blowing the cold water of the waterfall and I was freezing. My camera and tripod were blowing away and so was I. Most people took a short glimpse of the waterfall and spent the rest of the time at a café, while I was facing the elements trying to get a somewhat decent shot. This picture made it into my top-10 for all the effort that it took me to get it.

Winter sunset in Vik, Iceland

Winter sunset

In winter the sun is so low in Iceland that it provides great light for photography all day long. It’s like you switch from sunrise to sunset and miss the harsh daylight altogether. Photographer’s paradise! This picture was taken on a coast near Vik and although it’s just another sunset picture, I really like it. It reminds me of all the places I’ve been to and makes me dream about all those places still waiting to be discovered…

Hi David, it’s Sjónarnípa trail. You can find a bit more info here – hike S5 and S6. You can do it in combination with Svartifoss waterfall, since you’re almost passing by there anyway. So first you walk to Svartifoss, then walk just a little bit back and follow the signs to Sjónarnípa. It’s a circular trail so you don’t come back to the same place afterwards.

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Jurga. A traveler with a camera and a mom of three boys. On this blog, I share our family's travel experiences all over the world, coupled with lots of practical information and useful tips. My pictures will inspire you to discover new destinations and my stories will prove that you can take your kids anywhere.Join us as we discover the world one beautiful adventure at a time! Here you can read more about me, my family, and our trips all over the world...